Sugar dispenser



Feb. 27, 19 62 J w T 7 3,022,924

SUGAR DISPENSER Filed Nov. 1, 1957 ///I///II/I'/// INVENTOR JOHN c. w; STRAND ATTORNEY United States atentO 3,022,924 SUGAR DISPENSER John C. Wistrand, St. Paul, Minn., assignor to Standard Packaging Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Nov. 1, 1957, Ser. No. 693,967 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-456) This invention relates to an improved means for storing and dispensing crystalline substances commonly used in the household; more particularly it comprehends a novel sugar dispenser characterized by simple structural and novel functional features.

Although the device described and claimed herein is eminently adapted for handling sugar it will be understood, of course, that the invention may be used for the storage and dispensing of other suitable granular materials. In the average household, it has been found that most sugar dispensers are of the bowl type requiring a spoon or other instrument for metering the sugar; While such containers have undoubtedly enjoyed great popularity and use, it is manifest that shortcomings do inhere in their construction. For example, a separate instrument for removing the sugar is necessary and both hands often must be employed to hold the bowl and dip out the contents. For the busy housewife or cook such limi tations are bothersome and inetficient.

The present invention provides a container having means for storing sugar and delivering a measured amount by merely tipping the container. No separate dispensing instrument is required and the storage chamber of the container remains closed at all times except for filling and cleaning.

Accordingly, it is a broad object of the present invention to provide an improved container for crystalline substances;

Another object of the present invention is to provide a container adapted to store and dispense a discrete amount of sugar and similar substances;

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a sugar dispenser for household use having features that permit ease of manufacture, provide structural rigidity and present a pleasing exterior shape;

Another object of the present invention is to provide in a sugar dispensing container a novel means of separating the storage chamber from the dispensing chamber;

A further object of the present invention is to provide in a sugar dispenser a combined baflle and cover that is removable;

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a sugar dispenser having a closed storage chamber and an open dispensing chamber connected together by novel means;

Another object of the present invention is to provide a two-piece molded container adapted to be easily taken apart and cleaned.

These and other objects will become apparent from a consideration of the accompanying drawings in which is shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the dispenser completely assembled with a portion of the cover cut away;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the cover and interior baffie member;

FIGURE 3 is an end elevational view of the dispenser; and

FIGURE 4 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 with the removable cover and battle inserted in the device of FIGURE 3.

As shown in the several figures, the dispenser is characterized by an outer elongated casing generally designated by the reference character A. The casing A is preferably molded of a suitable material such as poly- 'in FIGURE 3.

3&22324 Patented Feb. 27, 1%52 ice styrene, polyethylene or the like. Into casing A is fitted bafile member B, shown separately in FIGURE 2. Bafile member B, which etfectively divides container A into storage chamber 30 and dispensing chamber 40, is removable from casing A and may be molded of the same or similar materials as casing A.

In the particular construction shown, casing A has two end walls 10 and 12 and two side walls 14 and 16 intersecting each other with generous radii to give an over-all pleasant appearance and structural rigidity. End wall 10 is of greater width and lesser height than end wall 12 and both end walls 10 and 12 taper slightly from top to bottom. End wall 16 is further characterized by a centrally located rectangular notch 11 on the top edge thereof, and an elongated outwardly projecting head 13 formed with its upper edge coplanar with the horizontal surface 11a of notch 11.

A pair of closely spaced vertical ribs 20 and 22 project inwardly from the internal surfaces of side walls 14 and 16 in lateral register with each other, as more fully shown Laterally opposed ribs 2% extend substantially the entire length of the internal surface of container A while ribs 22 terminate at their upper ends short of the upper edge of container A. The lower ends 22a of ribs 22 terminate at their intersection with sloping wall '26 which connects the bottom surface 24 of storage chamber 30 to the bottom surface 28 of dispensing chamber 40. Bottom surface 24 of storage chamber 39 is a false bottom recessed into container A in the manner shown in FIGURE 4 while bottom surface 28 is at a lower elevation. container bottom itself. This construction provides a stepped relation between the storage chamber so and the dispensing chamber 40 permitting sugar to flow by gravity into the dispensing chamber 4% Between each pair of the closely spaced ribs 23 and 22 located on the inner surface of side walls 14 and 16 a filler 25 (FIGURE 1) is positioned. Filler 25 is approximately triangular in shape so as to compensate for the tapered horizontal cross section of container A and to present a substantially squared guideway between laterally opposed ribs .20 and 22 located on the internal surfaces of side walls 14 and 16. Filler 25 extends from the lower extremity of ribs 2t! and 22 to a point slightly below the upper end of rib 20 thereby defining an upper shoulder 25a between each pair of ribs 20 and 22.

From the upper extremity of ribs 22 an internal shelf 27 extends around the internal surfaces of sidewalls 14 and 16 and around end wall It) of storage chamber 30. Shelf 27 converges at end wall 10 with surface 11a of notch 11 and serves as a support for cover 32 of bafile member B.

Bafile member B is of onepiece construction and is made up of an upper cover 3-2 and a lower depending tongue 34. A transverse groove 35 is located between upper cover 32 and lower tongue 34 to allow bafile member B to be flexed so that cover 32 is in a closed position. Cover 32 has an integral latch 33 engageable with bead 13 to releasably secure it to container A in abutting engagement with shelf 2'7. Projecting lugs 37, oppositely spaced on the upper sides of tongue 34, engage shoulders 25a in ribs 24} and 22 and also wedge baffie member 13 securely in position. As shown in FIGURE 2 tongue 34 tapers slightly from top to bottom in accordance with the internal configuration of container A between the opposed pairs of ribs 29 and 22. The contacting edge surfaces 39 of tongue 34. are thus adapted to slidably engage fillers 25 between ribs 20 and 22. The lower extremity of tongue 34 is preferably cut at an angle as at 31 to prevent clogging of sugar in its passage from storage chamber 30 to dispensing chamber 40. To this end bottom 24 of storage chamber 30 is also sloped slightly down towards Bottom surface 28 is the inner surfaceof the dispensing chamber 40. In its assembled. position the( lower extremity of tongue 34 and bottom surface 28 define passageway St} between storage chamber 30 and dispensing chamber 40-. Passageway 50 isofisuchsizetthat it permits approximately one teaspoonful' of: sugar. to flow-by gravity from storage chamber 30=into.dispensing chamber 4%.

In the use of the dispenser, cover 32 isreleased by finger pressure from bead Hand allowed to-spring away from shelf 27 of storage chamber 30. The natural resiliency of the cover material causes. cover SZto assume an attitude normally defining an obtuse-angle with tongue 34- of baffle member B. Sugar or any other crystalline-substance is then poured intocharnber 3t! and. cover 32' is snapped shut by forcing latch 33 over bead 11. In a preferred embodiment of the device, as illustrated in the drawings, chamber 30 holds slightly more than acupful of sugar or other material.

After chamber 3% isfilled' and cover 32.is secured in place, the dispenser is ready for operation. By. tipping the container forwardly, dispensing chamber 48*, which contains approximately one teaspoonful of sugar; discharges its contents. The return of container A to-a normally horizontal position allows another quantity of sugar to flow by gravity from storage chamber 39 through passageway 50 into dispensing. chamber 40 where it is ready for further dispensing.

It is to be noted that the particular spatial relationship of tongue 34 permits not only a measured quantity of sugar to flow each time the device-is tipped but also prevents indiscriminate filling of dispensing chamber 40 when-container Ais in an inverted position. The'operation described may be repeated until refilling of the storage chamber 36 is necessary.

Thusthere has been provided a compact functional sugar dispenser intended for everyday household use as well as for use in commercial establishments; It can be used during the day by the housewife for cooking and preparing meals, and at mealtime itoan be used on the table by the whole family,

Although the invention has been described with a certain degree ofparticularity, it-is understood that the present disclosure has been made by wayof example only. and. that numerous. changes lathe. details. of. construction and the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention ashereinafter claimed.

1 claim:

A dispenser for granular materials comprisinga case having a pair, of side, and end Walls, a. stepped bottom having integrally joined sections, a first section of said bottom being elevated. and inclined angularly downwa d to define the bottom surface of a storage chamber, a second section of said bottom disposedv below and adjacent tosaidyfirst. section to define the bottom surface of a dispensing chamber, said bottom alsohaving an in-. clined. wall. joining the first and second sections thereof, said side walls having opposed pairs of vertioatlr'ibs positioned on the inner surface ofsaid side Walls between the storage chamber, and the dispensing chamber, a removabletongue partition frictionally held between said pairs of vertical. ribs, said tongue partition having its lower end disposed in spaced relationship above. said steppedbottom to form. a rectangular aperture therebetween, a, storage chamber cover flexibly attachedto said tongue; partition attire top thereof, and'inter engageable latch means onsaid COVBI'.'-3l'ld saidoase to retain said cover inclosedposition, the dispensing chamber adapted to receive a metered amount of granular materialthrough the rectangular aperture from the storage chamber when said, dispenser. issupright, saidtongue partition preventing the flow of granular material from thestorage chamber; to the-dispensing chamber when. said dispenser isinverted thereby permitting the dischargeof. only the metered amount of granular material from'the dispensing chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Netherlands Nov. 15; 

